Pride month: a month of celebration, love and proud identity! Or…a month of corporate hell? There have been many Pride Month campaigns in our time, and not all of them have met the mark.
Nevertheless, some attempts at inclusivity have gone above and beyond! We’ve dug deep into the online void for the best successes and no-good failures of Pride Month campaigns for your exploration and enjoyment, below.
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Nike
Nike has shown the corporate world how to support the LGBTQIA community, whilst launching a successful Pride Month campaign. Established in 2012, Nike’s BE TRUE campaign spoke to the heart of Pride: having confidence in your identity, and being able to express it.
Not only did Nike release a line of rainbow trainers, shirts and socks in their 2017 BE TRUE collection, the brand has, over time, donated £2 million pounds to LGBTQIA causes. And in proof it’s an ethos more than a marketing campaign, they even have a “be true” gate at their HQ in Oregon.
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Vaseline
Showing us exactly how not to sell a Pride-themed product, Vaseline’s Limited Edition, covered-in-rainbows, Pride petroleum jelly costs a whopping (almost) a pound more than the usual Vaseline! Why would we want to pay a premium price to be proud of our LGBTQIA selves? Unfortunately, Vaseline missed the mark here.
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Mercedes Benz
Speaking to the core of LGBTQIA issues – homophobia, discrimination and hate crime – Mercedes Benz Canada released a lovingly made documentary film regarding their “Painted with Love” campaign. Although this video was released a while ago, its significance as a campaign still lingers.
A beautiful melody of mural artwork and a collection of real-life experiences of LGBTQIA peoples, this film is a welcoming call to all consumers, and a great advertisement for Mercedes’ ethics as a brand.
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Burger King
In a move made in very poor taste, Burger King Austria recently displayed an advertisement promoting ‘same-side bun’ Pride-themed Whoppers! Unfortunately, this advertisement speaks to stereotypes about the ‘roles’ of different LGBTQIA peoples in their relationships.
There’s a lot Burger King could’ve designed differently here – perhaps a different Pride Month campaign entirely? Without doubt, this advertising campaign went viral online for all the wrong reasons.
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Tiffany & Co.
To end on a strong note, we leave you with Tiffany & Co’s successful 2015 Pride Month Campaign! Tiffany & Co. decided to use a real gay couple for their Pride advertisement, adorned with slogans that recognise marriage equality. By using an image of a real same-sex couple together in New York City, not hired actors, Tiffany & Co. established their genuine commitment to ‘love is love’!
This advertisement was especially important, as equal marriage rights were recent in the UK – made law in 2013 – and yet to occur in the US, where they were sworn into law in late 2015.
Uncover the best Pride Month campaigns through Muse advertising, where Muse by Clio covers the latest and greatest creative advertising campaigns our world has to offer! Of course, they’ll always keep you in the loop with the campaigns that don’t do so well, too.
